This episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" delivers an American Heart Month discussion as the guests talk about heart health and how listeners can make improvements to their cardiovascular well-being at any age. Dr. Andres Acosta, Delaney Family Director, Nutrition Obesity Research Program at Mayo Clinic; Dr. Kevin Volpp, scientific lead for the Food Is Medicine initiative through the American Heart Association (AHA); and Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA, offer perspectives on both the persistent challenges and emerging opportunities in cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. even as prevention and treatment strategies continue to advance.  

Millions of Americans continue to face cardiovascular disease despite significant improvements in mortality rates related to the disease over the past century. Rising rates of obesity, hypertension and diabetes contribute to this burden. Family history remains a critical predictor, underscoring the importance of early awareness and risk assessment. 

At the heart of this episode's discussion is the evolving understanding of obesity as a chronic, multifactorial disease. Dr. Acosta emphasizes the need for individualized approaches and notes that people develop obesity for different biological reasons. "Understanding the biology and going down to the root cause of obesity changes the conversation," Dr. Acosta says. "It helps patients see why they struggle and why tailored interventions work." His research demonstrates that phenotype-based treatment strategies produce more effective and sustainable weight loss than standard models, reinforcing the importance of personalized care in addressing one of the most significant contributors to cardiovascular disease. 

The role of nutrition is another focus of this episode. Dr. Volpp points to the AHA's Food Is Medicine initiative, which is building evidence to treat healthy food like a medical therapy, especially for people with conditions such as heart failure, diabetes or obesity. Programs that provide medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions or nutrition coaching have shown promise in improving health and reducing hospital visits, sometimes within just weeks. 

The panelists note that improvements in cardiovascular health are achievable at any age. Modest changes, such as increased consumption of nutrient-dense foods and consistent physical activity, can have significant positive effects, particularly among older adults. Research demonstrates that even short-term dietary interventions can yield measurable improvements in stability and quality of life for patients with established cardiovascular conditions.  

Looking ahead, precision nutrition represents a promising advancement. Ongoing national research is focused on developing individualized dietary recommendations based on genetics, metabolism and microbiome data. As these tools evolve, they are expected to reduce reliance on trial-and-error approaches and support more effective long-term weight and risk management.  

The discussion highlights a clear path forward: advance personalized care, expand access to nutrition-focused interventions and strengthen preventive strategies across populations. Together, these efforts offer significant potential to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and improve health outcomes in the years ahead. 

Listen to the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" wherever you get your podcasts. You can explore the full library of episodes and guests on the show's page.   

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